harper



(No Model.) ;2- Sh eet s'Sheet: 1

. N'. HARPER. Feltingpr Hat Body Sizing Machine.

No. 237.269. Patent'ed'Feb. 1,188I.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. N. H A R P E R. v

Felting or'Hat Body Sizing Mach ins.

No. 237,269. 7 Patented Feb. 1,-I88I.

12133.? TO I'M RA WASHINGTON. D.

A UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFIGE.

NATHAN HARPER, OF NEWARK, JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN HAT SIZINGMAOHINE OOMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

FELTING OR HAT-BOgDY-SIZING M ACHINE.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 237,269, dated February1, 1881.

Application filed May21, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, NATHAN HARPER, of Newark,in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented a new anduseful ing slats or rollers and anti-friction pulleys, operating incombination with the aforesaid pulleys or rollers, the suspendedadjustable ybearings for said pulleys or'rollers graduating the tensionor'fiexibility of the belt,and the improvement in pressing-bands used incombination with said pressing slats or rollers.

, Figure l is an end view of the machine, the driving-gears beingindicated merely by dotted circles. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on aline of a x on Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan, and

2 Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are detailed views.

In my construction A are two main pulleys or rollers, forming the endsof an oval figure, hung by their shafts in the adjustable bearin gs B,which bearings are secured on the top of the tank (3, which supports theboxes D, which are suspended on the points of screws d, by which theyaremoved and adjusted in either direction. This adjustment gives fullcontrol over the tension and flexibility of the 3 5 felting apron orbelt E running over said pulleys. 'F are adouble series of pulleys orrollers, of which any number may be used, hung between the pulleys A indisks G, and completing the oval figure.

0 of any suitable flexible material, and may have its surfaces eithersmooth or rough,embossed, ribbed, ridged, corrugated, or slatted in anyform or direction that may be preferred. It is here shown with aplainsurface.

5 H are a series of pressing-rollers hung in slots 12 in the disks G,parallel with the surface of the belt E, and free to revolve on theiraxis and to move in said slotstoward or from the belt.

I are small anti-friction pulleys, placed on The belt E is formedPressing-slats L may be used insteadof or to alternate with the rollersH. These slats and their bearing ends may be made of any desiredform,but.are here shown cylindrical, with elliptical-shaped bearing ends0, as shown in Fig. 2. This form of bearing ends allows of a rockingmotionto the slat on its axis in its movements toward andfrom the beltE. As the slats do not revolve they offer more resistance to the passingof the hat-rolls P th'anthe rollers H, and thereby increase the frictionandrubbingon the surface of said hats. These slats may be provided withanti-friction pulleys on their ends, if desired.

In consequence of the increased resistance and friction afiorded by thepressing-slats, their employmentin alternation with the pressiug-rollers, as shown in Fig. 2, furnishes a greater degree of variationin the intermittent pressure between the two than could be obtained byeither alone. The pressing-rollers and slats are here shown with smoothsurfaces; but, if desired, they may be fluted or corrugatedlongitudinally, or rib bed or beaded at either rightangles or spirallyto their axis. Each of the pressing'rollers or slats is independent ofthe others, and moves outwardly just so far as any individual roll ofhats makes it necessary. This allows a number of hatrolls of differentdiameters to be operated in 1 each end of the pressing rollers H toreduce the friction of the pre'ssingbands K.

the machine at the same time, and secures the desired degree of pressureon each.

The pressing-bands Kare made of anylsuitable non-elastic material, andprovided-with a spring or springs, cl, at their respectiveends. Thesprings may be of india-rubber or other similar elastic material, or ofspiral metal,as shown in Fig. 2. The bands K are secured to thetension-roller M, which roller is operated by the band-wheel O and pawland ratchet N, by which the tension of the pressing-bands can beincreased or diminished at the pleasure of the operator. The bands canbe run direct- 1y over the pulleys H or slats L without the interventionof the anti-friction pulleys; but the employment of these pulleys willineither case diminish the friction on the bands.

It is found in practice that elastic pressingbands utterly fail toaccomplish the purpose, and that any attempt to tighten such bands bythe tension-rollers only elon gates their ends, without bringing anyincreased tension on the portion of the bands at the opposite side ofthe machine farthest from the tension-roller; but by the use ofnon-elastic materialfor the bands the tension is brought equally uponthe whole length of the bands, while the springs at their ends enablethem to yield sufficiently to accommodate the hat-rolls in passing underthe pressing rollers or slats.

The disks are attached to the tank (1, and have the oval shapecorresponding with the arrangement of the pulleys and belt. These diskssupport the pressing-rollers and pressing-slats in slots I), made forthe purpose. The slots radiate toward, but not through, the periphery ofthe disks.

Power is applied to the machine in any of the usual ways. It is hereshown as operating by a pulley and gearing. The stud is secured by aflange to the side of the tank, and carries the driving-pulley T and apinion, e, which pinion meshesinto the two gear-wheels R, secured on theends of the shafts of pulleys A.

The operation of the machine and the sizing of the hats is as followsHot water being supplied to the tank and power to the machine, thehat-bodies are furnished to the operator in the same condition as tohand-sizers. They are then rolled in suitable cloths, from four to sixin each, and several such rolls passed into the machine through theopening S, left between the rollers for the purpose. They are thencarried around between the surface of the felting-belt and the pressingrollers or slats. In their passage through the machine the hatrolls arecaused to revolve rapidly on their own axis by means of the belt andpressingrollers, the same as in hand-sizing, and thereby accomplishingthe same results, but doing the work more evenly and uniformly, and inmuch less time.

The felting or sizing machines heretofore constructed and containing anyof the general features of my machine have been of two kinds, one classconsisting of those employing a number of revolving pulleys or rollersarranged in a straight line in either a single or a double series, andcarrying a traveling felting apron or belt, and the other classembracing those which contain only a single revolving drum without anytraveling felting apron or belt. The latter class has the advantage ofrapidity of action due to its form and to the continuity of thefriction-surfaces, but lacks the lively flexibility of movement impartedto a traveling felting-belt, while the former class secures this livelyflexibility of the belt, but loses in part the rapidity of action ofthesin gle revolving drum, and also utterly fails to secure an equalpressure on a series of hatrolls of different diameters passing throughthe machine at the same time, or even on a single roll in its passagefrom one end of the machine to the other. My invention, by its oval formand other elements, enables me to combine in one machine the specialadvantages of both these classes, whileit overcomes or avoids thecharacteristic defects of each.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a felting or sizing machine, a series of revolving pulleys orrollers arranged in an oval form and carrying an endless felting apronor belt.

2. An endless revolving felting apron or belt constructed substantiallyas stated and traveling on a series of pulleys or rollers arranged in anoval form.

3. In combination with a series of pulleys or rollers arranged in anoval form and carrying an endless felting-belt, E, the independentpressing-rollers H, having the movements as set forth.

4. In combination with a series of pulleys or rollers carrying anendless felting-belt, the adjustable bearin gs B, substantially as andfor the purpose specified.

5. In combination with a series of pulleys or rollers carrying anendless felting-belt, the pressing-rollers and anti-friction pulleys I,substantially as set forth.

6. In combination with a series of pulleys 0r rollers carrying anendless felting-belt, the independent pressing-slats L, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

7. In combination with a series of pulleys or rollers carrying anendless felting-belt, the 100 tension-springs 61, substantially as andfor the IO 5 purpose specified.

9. In combination with a series of pulleys or rollers carrying anendless felting-belt, the adjustable bearings B, tank 0, tension-rollerM, pawl and ratchet N, and ban ds K, substan- I 10 tially as and for thepurposes specified.

NATHAN HARPER.

Witnesses:

HORACE HARRIS, CHARLES B. Bars.

